Every day in my outpatient clinic, I meet young and middle-aged individuals carrying an X-ray and a single fear: “Doctor, I have arthritis. Does this mean I need a knee replacement?”For many, a diagnosis of osteoarthritis feels like the end of an active life. This fear is often reinforced by the widespread misconception that once arthritis develops, Total Knee Replacement (TKR) is the only definitive solution. It is time to change this narrative.

This is the idea behind the Save Knee Initiative, a public awareness campaign dedicated to educating people that preserving the natural knee should always be the first priority whenever medically appropriate. Let me make one point clear at the outset: this initiative is not against knee replacement surgery.As an orthopaedic surgeon who regularly performs Total Knee Replacement, I have seen countless patients regain mobility, independence and dignity through this remarkable operation. Modern knee replacement is one of the major advances in orthopaedic surgery and remains the best treatment for many patients with advanced arthritis.

However, a successful knee replacement should never make us forget the value of a natural knee. No artificial implant, however advanced, can completely replicate the biological function, proprioception and long-term durability of a healthy native joint.Therefore, particularly in younger and active individuals, the first question should not always be, “When should we replace the knee?” It should be, “Can we still save it?”

Arthritis is not always a disease of........

© Greater Kashmir